# cigar wrappers flaking?



## CigarSmokePhilosopher (Aug 18, 2010)

i have a well built, glass front cabinet style humi with TWO 6 inch long humidifiers (one magnetized to the inside of the top, one is in the bottom) and my cigars seem to still flake ... i ordered a digital hygrometer, but i discovered after i ordered that its shipping from china... just my luck... so its over a week out still

what do you suggest, does this ALWAYS mean that the cigars are too dry? doesnt it seem unlikely to have this problem with 2 large humidifying elements in a 75-100 count humi that seals well?

can it be a problem with the cigars? it seems to mainly be some rocky patels i got all at once about a week ago


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## Sarge (Nov 21, 2010)

I'm still a noob so I can't be of much help but... 

currently I have a XL heartfelt beads tube, and a medium heartfelt tube. Both 65%. Also I still have the sponge/saucer of water from seasoning and a Humicare HX10 system in my 3 drawer humidor. I'm still reading @ 60%, in some spots even less, in my humidor. The only place I'm reading 65% is in the drawer/section w/ the medium tube.from what I've read glass sucks as well. Plus Winter is a real :c to keep things steady... so idk, time to refill the humidifiers or find a better solution maybe. :ask: I'm @ a loss myself over here. 

I might be a noob but I'm pretty sure flaky wrappers are always going to be a result of dry cigars. could be wrong here though...


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## CigarSmokePhilosopher (Aug 18, 2010)

bump


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## jc5214 (Dec 13, 2010)

I kno this is my first post and i will make a proper introduction thread later but i just had a disscussion with my local tobbacconist on this topic last week. so i'll just tell you hat i got out of the conversation.

in his opinion humidors with glass anyhting typically have trouble maintaining RH because of the numerous places humidity can escape especially where the glass joines with the wwood of the humidor (as the wood shrinks and swells with the fluctuating humididty the spaces between the glass and wood can change causes gaps. Im not sure excatly howw big your humidor is but he said the only sure fire way to maintain RH in glass humidors is to have a dedicataded humidificaiton system that forces air circulation and maintains RH. Also if it holds up to 100 cigars for a humidor to work properly you should have atleast 50 cigars in it already. If not the cedar will draw moisture out of the cigars. 
And the those humidity beads wwork pretty well.

hope some of that helped and if you already knew all that and its not the problem i guess i wasnt any help.


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## Domino68 (Jul 17, 2010)

CigarSmokePhilosopher said:


> i have a well built, glass front cabinet style humi with TWO 6 inch long humidifiers


Hard to find "well built" glass humi's, I have had a couple that just do not stabilize RH that well.



> doesnt it seem unlikely to have this problem with 2 large humidifying elements in a 75-100 count humi that seals well?


Can you honestly say that it seals well? You will be able to tell for sure once your hygrometer comes in. Have you done the usual test that prove it? Also, is your humidor new? If so, might need to re-season it.



> it seems to mainly be some rocky patels i got all at once about a week ago


Could possibly be just those sticks, but depending on the wrapper, might need more RH. Which RPs were they?


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## Domino68 (Jul 17, 2010)

:welcome: JC5214, good explanation.


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## CigarSmokePhilosopher (Aug 18, 2010)

famous-smoke sampler 12 pack that they're pushing right now. it appears of sound construction, made from heavy woods. no matter how hard i slam the front door, it just slows and wooshes to a soft thud, so i'm assuming the seal is pretty fair, its also held closed tight with earth magnets and has a lock. i can't wiggle any of the glass panes with my hands.

i'll have a go at re-seasoning it. maybe the rocky's are just stressed from shipping still? need to sit longer?


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## jswaykos (Oct 26, 2010)

I would guess that you simply got some bad cigars. I don't know how long you've had them in your humidor (doesn't sound like long), but I can't imagine wrappers would start flaking after just a week or two of being dry. I've got one stick in my growing collection of appox. 60 sticks that is unraveling, but it came that way. Unfortunately, I didn't inspect it enough upon receipt and can't do much about it now.

I'd think about returning the sticks in question, especially if it's all of them from the same order.


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## KcJason1 (Oct 20, 2010)

I'm gonna go on a limb here and say.. Well it's rather cold out, perhaps they were brought to room temp to fast. I've heard of wrappers cracking if a stick is brought to room temp to fast after freezing to remove beetles if there were any in the sticks. Guys that freeze let them return to room temp slowly.. Like over the course or 3-4 days.

Another thing.. Maybe they had a very low rh.. And while putting them in the humi with so much humidification so fast has made they swell faster that the wrapper can restreatch.. That is known to cause cracking as well.


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## Perfecto Dave (Nov 24, 2009)

> I've got one stick in my growing collection of appox. 60 sticks that is unraveling


*Go to the grocery store and pick up some pectin. Mix up a little paste and glue that puppy back up before you loose it.* *A little goes a long way......pectin is a must have for any cigar smoker!*


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## jswaykos (Oct 26, 2010)

Perfecto Dave said:


> *Go to the grocery store and pick up some pectin. Mix up a little paste and glue that puppy back up before you loose it.* *A little goes a long way......pectin is a must have for any cigar smoker!*


Thanks for the tip! Where in the store is it located? The stick in question is a Diesel Unlimited, and I'd sure hate to lose it! I smoked my first Unlimited yesterday and loved it... pretty sure it'll end up being my first box purchase.


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## Perfecto Dave (Nov 24, 2009)

jswaykos said:


> Thanks for the tip! Where in the store is it located? The stick in question is a Diesel Unlimited, and I'd sure hate to lose it! I smoked my first Unlimited yesterday and loved it... pretty sure it'll end up being my first box purchase.


*Pectin is used to make a canners jelly, jelly up a little better. So probably in the canning isle. It's all natural stuff.....like a powder...just put a little on a saucer and drip some water on it a little at a time while mixing it up. It'll make like a paste you can glue your sticks back together with. Doesn't affect the taste of the sticks.*


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## Stogin (Dec 1, 2010)

If you're waiting only a week after shipping before smoking them, you're most likely going to have some sort of problem. I try to wait two months (try at least...) before smoking. Also depending on the RP you could have problems. I often have a problem with '92 Vintage's wrapper trying to come off after I cut the cap.


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## Zfog (Oct 16, 2010)

CigarSmokePhilosopher said:


> famous-smoke sampler 12 pack that they're pushing right now. it appears of sound construction, made from heavy woods. no matter how hard i slam the front door, it just slows and wooshes to a soft thud, so i'm assuming the seal is pretty fair, its also held closed tight with earth magnets and has a lock. i can't wiggle any of the glass panes with my hands.
> 
> i'll have a go at re-seasoning it. maybe the rocky's are just stressed from shipping still? need to sit longer?


Just because the door does not slam shut, really means nothing. All of the iar inside it while open stops the door from shutting. Its the same as shutting a storm door while the other door is already closed, vs. the other door being open. The trapped air slows it from shutting.
I would give it the paper test to see how the seal really is! Also you should look to your humidification. It is probably either that or your sticks. In most cases I would not think its the sticks. Most NC's are fairly smokeable ROTT. As much as I don't love Rocky Patel's, I have never had a wrapper issue.

For what Sarge said: I had the same issues using the heartfelt tubes. Instead I divied up the beads into smaller sacks. 1 tube - 3 sacks. This greatly increased my surface area of the beads. now they are kicking butt! I would give it a shot. you can either use aquarium filter bags or those little lace looking baggies used in baby showers and weddings.


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## CigarSmokePhilosopher (Aug 18, 2010)

zfog could you explain the "paper test"


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

CigarSmokePhilosopher said:


> i have a well built, glass front cabinet style humi with TWO 6 inch long humidifiers (one magnetized to the inside of the top, one is in the bottom) and my cigars seem to still flake ... i ordered a digital hygrometer, but i discovered after i ordered that its shipping from china... just my luck... so its over a week out still
> 
> what do you suggest, does this ALWAYS mean that the cigars are too dry? doesnt it seem unlikely to have this problem with 2 large humidifying elements in a 75-100 count humi that seals well?
> 
> can it be a problem with the cigars? it seems to mainly be some rocky patels i got all at once about a week ago





Sarge said:


> I'm still a noob so I can't be of much help but...
> 
> currently I have a XL heartfelt beads tube, and a medium heartfelt tube. Both 65%. Also I still have the sponge/saucer of water from seasoning and a Humicare HX10 system in my 3 drawer humidor. I'm still reading @ 60%, in some spots even less, in my humidor. The only place I'm reading 65% is in the drawer/section w/ the medium tube.from what I've read glass sucks as well. Plus Winter is a real :c to keep things steady... so idk, time to refill the humidifiers or find a better solution maybe. :ask: I'm @ a loss myself over here.
> 
> I might be a noob but I'm pretty sure flaky wrappers are always going to be a result of dry cigars. could be wrong here though...


You guys running Glass tops fronts sides whatever. A word of advice get an oasis its the only thing gonna keep up in the winter.


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## jswaykos (Oct 26, 2010)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> You guys running Glass tops fronts sides whatever. A word of advice get an oasis its the only thing gonna keep up in the winter.


Fortunately for me, I'm in San Diego. It's certainly dry here in the winter, but I've been maintaining constant levels of rh with no problems.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

jswaykos said:


> Fortunately for me, I'm in San Diego. It's certainly dry here in the winter, but I've been maintaining constant levels of rh with no problems.


I love San Diego was going to retire out there when i hit 55. Then i divorced wife #2 now i get to work till i drop. That is when there is work due to the economy.


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## CigarSmokePhilosopher (Aug 18, 2010)

i got myself a spray bottle that sprays a very fine mist. filled with distilled water and gave all the shelves a good mist down. waited and put the cigars back in. they seem to be doing well now... and that analog hygrometer i though didnt work... its reading 65 now (up from 50 earlier)

so i guess i really need to keep an eye on this. what a scare that was.


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## KcJason1 (Oct 20, 2010)

CigarSmokePhilosopher said:


> i got myself a spray bottle that sprays a very fine mist. filled with distilled water and gave all the shelves a good mist down. waited and put the cigars back in. they seem to be doing well now... and that analog hygrometer i though didnt work... its reading 65 now (up from 50 earlier)
> 
> so i guess i really need to keep an eye on this. what a scare that was.


Wet insides will show high rh readings... The wood deep down is what needs the moisture... You need let it become fully seasoned... BTW do a salt test on the hygro.. You need to see how far it is off and if it can be adjusted.. until you recieve your digital... then throw that analog junk in the trash!!!


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## fivespdcat (Nov 16, 2010)

just as some others have said, i've had rocky patel's flake even at perfect humidity with a calibrated hygrometer...


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## Zfog (Oct 16, 2010)

The paper test: take a regular piece of paper and put it in the humi a couple inches. Close the lid.
Now try to pull the paper out. If it slides out easily or at all, then the humi has no seal. In some cases a strip of felt or a clasp can help.
My waxing moon humi has such resistance that I can lterally lift the whole thing in the air with the piece of paper!
Also "misting" the inside of the humi will do nothing long term. If there is no seal then the rh will gradually drop again.


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## CigarSmokePhilosopher (Aug 18, 2010)

i may not have ever seasoned it properly, so i took out cigars and misted the cedar, waited about 12 hours until it all absorbed, and put everything back. the cigars feel much better pinch test wise, and the hygrometer is holding steady at 68%, so we'll see. i'll do the paper test now.


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## CigarSmokePhilosopher (Aug 18, 2010)

seems to be sealing. ripped the paper off inside. i guess i was just too green to this when i first got the humidor and didn't season it properly. 



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## CigarSmokePhilosopher (Aug 18, 2010)

does this appear satisfactory? any thing i should try to be SURE i dont do any damage?


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## Zfog (Oct 16, 2010)

Check all sides of the door top bottom and hinge side also. The hinge side can be the culprit a lot of the time. Good luck.

Even though you may not have seasoned it properly to begin with. If your humi is tight and well sealed. Eventually it will stabilize. Your sticks just may suffer a wee bit. You could just throw them in a tupperware with a boveda pack for now and re-season it. Or just give it time for the cedar to absorb to its hearts content. 
Keep us updated on how it goes!!!


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## Frinkiac7 (Dec 12, 2008)

I think the problem with glass-anything humis is the glass. The wood seal can be as tight as can be, but if there's any place around the glass where humidity can escape from, that's an entirely different problem. Also, where the chintzy analog hygrometers are, rarely are they properly sealed in there, sometimes they just drop in on a lot of the models on CI and similar sites. So you can potentially be leaking humidity through what is essentially a big hole with a loosely-fitting hygrometer placed in it.

I have up on humdiors entirely about a year ago...just not worth the headache, especially in a cold, dry, winter climate. You'll go mad trying to maintain constant RH. Now I just have a big cooler with some beads, and it never misses a beat.


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